- Honda has ruled out a manual or turbocharged Prelude variant.
- A Prelude Type R would require “hundreds of millions” in R&D.
- A sporty makeover with optional HRC parts remains a possibility.
Honda enthusiasts holding out for a non-electrified performance Prelude can stop waiting. Senior brass from the Australian arm have shut the door on a turbocharged engine and a manual gearbox, locking the coupe into life as a hybrid-only “lifestyle vehicle.”
The company’s Australia president and CEO Jay Joseph addressed the question at a media event during the local launch of the new hybrid. Asked whether a manual turbo variant in the mold of the US-spec Civic Si or the Japan-only Civic RS was on the cards, his answer left little room for interpretation.
More: The New Civic RS Hybrid Lost Its Shifter, So Honda Borrowed The Prelude’s Workaround
“We’ve got different cars for different customers. This hybrid powertrain fits this car … and when we planned it as a global vehicle, everything made sense to us.”
In a follow-up interview with CarSales, the local CEO conceded that the Prelude’s platform is “adaptable to several different powertrains” since its underpinnings are shared with Civic variants, the Type R included, meaning a turbocharged version with a manual gearbox driving the front wheels remains technically possible.
More: The Prelude’s Japanese Order Books Cooled Fast, So Honda Is Already Making A Move
The catch, as always, is what it would cost. Joseph said adapting the coupe’s bodywork to “all the things that would be required of the Type R” would amount to something close to a full R&D program, with an investment “in the order of hundreds of millions of dollars.”
Honda Australia Director Robert Thorp drove the point home, suggesting that anyone after a sharper, more focused Honda already has the Civic Type R sitting in the showroom
Not All Hope Is Gone
While a turbo manual Prelude is out of the question, Honda might be working on something interesting for the faithful. The Prelude HRC Concept from the Tokyo Auto Salon could evolve into an optional catalogue of motorsport-inspired upgrades, following the example of the upcoming Civic Type R HRC.
More: A Former F1 Driver Just Drove Honda’s HRC Civic Type R And Called It “Way Better”
The concept came fitted with an aggressive bodykit including wide fender extensions, redesigned bumpers, deeper side skirts, a large diffuser, and a fixed rear wing. Besides the racy looks, it also got HRC wheels shod in performance tires, uprated brakes, wider tracks, and a visibly lowered suspension hinting at a sharper chassis setup.
Until Honda decides whether to put the aforementioned HRC parts into production, independent tuning houses are already taking matters into their own hands. The most notable example is the Mugen kit for the Prelude, adding more aggressive aero, forged BBS wheels, Yamaha-tuned dampers, high-performance brake pads, and a sports exhaust.
